Abstract

High-resolution 2D acoustic profiles, combined with time slices from a 3D data volume, were used to investigate the paleoincised valleys offshore of the present-day Pahang River, South China Sea. Paleovalleys were formed during the regressive phase of the last glacial cycle. They were submerged and possibly filled during valley formation and postglacial marine transgression. Interpretation of acoustic profiles illustrates that the valleys were incised and infilled during the regression and low stand followed by subsequent deglacial sea-level rise. They were overlain by a transgressive ravinement surface suggesting transitional deposits between fluvial-dominated filling and shallow-marine deposition. This ravinement surface is overlain by Holocene shallow marine deposits. A low-sinuosity low-stand valley system changed to a high-sinuosity meander belt and eventually evolved into a deltaic distributary channel system before the complete submergence of the area. The average Late Pleistocene surface lies between 53 and 64 m below present-day mean sea level in the study area with approximately 16–50 m of valley incision. The Holocene shallow marine cover thickness varies from 5 to 10 m.

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